Tractor



G. R. HANKS May 1932.

TRACTOR Filed Deo. ll, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet May l0, 1932.

G. R. HANKs 1,858,154

TRACTOR Filed Dec. l1, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 i I1/wanton si M May 10, G, Rv HANKS 1,858,154

TRACTOR Filed Deo. 11, 192B 5 sheets-sheet 3 Patented May 10, 1932 UNITED STATES GEORGE R. HANIKS, 0F CLINTON, NEW JER-SESLASSIGNOR TO THE- LINN MAN UFACTU'R-` PATENT OFFICE ING CORPORATION, OF MORRIS, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK TRACTOR Application filed December 11, 1928. Serial No. 325,142.

My invention is addressed to tractors of the track-laying type and has special utility in connection with machines such as disclosed in Letters Patent 1,685,676, granted to Holman Harry Linn. In that disclosure, the load is transferred to the tracks by run# ner blocks acting in concert with rocker beams and a roller path. The rollers are of spool form, their hubs soliciting the load from ribs or rails on the runner blocks, and

their flanges transferring it to the tracks.

My invention is directly concerned with improving the devices for eii'ecting such load transference, having for one of its principal objects the enlargement of the area of contact between the rollers and runner blocks in such way that the flanges of the rollers may directly transfer all of the load or in such transference act in unison with the hubs;

and having for another principal object to so construct the rollers that they will admit of normal peening action or iiow of metal without the hazard of distortion such as is calculated to break the chain; such objects havinor for their ultimate ur ose increased e P P elflciency and life of the parts.

The nature, characteristic features and scope of the invention will more readily be understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein Figure 1 is a sectional elevational view of a track embodying my improvements.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the improved runner blocks.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the runner blocks.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional elevational view, showing the general relation of the runner` block, roller and lag.

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail of the improved runner block and roller construction in tracking relation.

The Linn type of track, Fig. 1, embodies an axle-hung rocker beam 5, a pair of runner blocks 6, a roller chain 7, and articulated lags 8, supported by driving and idler sprocket wheels 9 and 10.

While retaining the rail and hub relation,

I depart from the former practice in that I provide for traction bearing of the roller flanges on the runner blocks when the rollers are intermediate the horizontal bottom tions thereof and the lags. This is aptly shown in Fig. 5, wherein fthe runner block 100 is provided with a load transferring rib or rail 101 anked by load transferring flanges or tracks 102. The relation is such that in the region a-b, which comprehends the bottom liat dimension of a pair of mated runner blocks, the depth of the rail 101 and the relative overhang of the roller flanges 10.3 are alike in dimension. Hence, it is evident that the load transference from the runner blocks to the lag 104 is eected in a direct way through the roller flanges, and while the hubs or spindles 105 may participate to some extent in absorbing some ofthe load, they, obviously, are relieved of its major part with the result that when, as is preferred, the parts are constructed of manganese steel, peening or flowing is deferred and reduced to the minimum so that the service life of the rollers is enormously increased. It will be observed that as the rail follows the upward flare or curve of the runner block and is thence continued over the top thereof, its depth is sufficiently reduced to enable it to clear the hubsvof the rollers. Consequently, for that traverse the rail acts merely as a guide and the traction of the rollers is through their flanges. The relative depth is shown in the section, Fig. 5.

In order further to reduce the hazard of stretching of the rollers and breaking of the chain, the hubs or spindles are of crown formation by virtue of undercut end recesses 106 at the intersection of the hubs and iianges. The merit of this is to afford a relief to peening or flowing, the peened metal being accommodated by the recesses.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A traction unit having, in combination, a iiexible track and its complemental supports and a system of load transmitting elements, including a rocker beam and aligned, mated runner blocks, the runner blocks being of T-section to provide a central track and flanking or wing tracks, and anged rollers jporcooperating with the tracks o the runner blocks and the exible track and having crowned hubs defined by undercut recesses to relieve conditions tending toward lengthwise stretching of the rollers.

2. A tractionunithavingin combination, a exibletrackand its complementalsupports and a system of load transmitting elements,

including a rocker beam and aligned, mated runnen-blocks,..the nunnerblocks beingtof T- f section to provide Sa' central'. track and Hanks? ing or wing tracks, and flanged rollers operating between the runner blocks and the? flexible track, their hubs engaging the central track and their anges engaging the wingtracks .or-transferringthe.load .to the.

flexible track.v

3. A tractionx-funitfhaving, in combination, a flexible4 track..and its complemental. sup-.,.

ports "andi al system orload transmitting ele.- ments, :including a'rocker. beam and aligned, mated-runnerblocks, .said runner blocks havf ingfblottomsiof T-setion to provide a central track.y and flanking or `Wing tracks,.and.langed rollersA operating .between said tracks andrthc flexibletrack, their angestracking the wing: tracks..

4. A traction unit having, 4in combination,

a vflexible? track-fand its. i complemental .sup-

portsand asystem of'load transmitting el e.

mentsgincluding. a. rocker. beamv and aligned, mated runner. blocks, Jsaid runner blocks Lhavingbottoms-of T-section to provide a cent-ral track .landeflanking .or WingA tracks, 'andu lialiged. rollers operating between said tracks andra-the.v flexible track, their hubs tracking the...central trackandtheir `flanges tracking thefwing tracks,Y the" central. track declining indepth'fatfthe outer ends oftheblocksffto v clear :the hubswith respect. to .the .central track-...

In `testimony rwlierleoilv affixy myy signature.. 1

' GEORGE'R. HANKS n 

